boxst

Hello

How hard is it to get planning permission these days?

I am looking at a 14 acre plot which has a (excuse me) crappy little bungalow on it. I would like to buy it, and build a nice house there in it's place but the original planning document only allowed for x% increase in foot size and no second storey!

I will of course get professional advice, but several of you seem knowledgable in this area as a first stab.

Thank you for your help,

Steve.

LG John

As a planning officer I can assure you little advice given on this board would be of any use in this instance. In my local authority a replacement house in the countryside is not supported by our polcies and an application for one would be refused. In other local authorities it may be supported! The question you have asked is like saying "I own a 4 door car is it fast?" Without knowing the engine, its power, the trasmission, the weight, the gearing, etc nobody can know. In the same way your local authority where you live will have different policies to others in the country.

First things first you should ask the duty planning officer for your local authority some general questions and ask what policies would apply to a replacement house. Take copies of these policies to a planning consultant and bounce it of his head to see if he thinks you have a case.

Christ

As Saxo-Boy says it does depend very much on where you are, as local councils etc all have different opinions/guidelines etc..

We initially got our local planning office to come to site who recomended refusal, which was the wrong decision. We opposed his opinion and the case went to a planning meeting (2 in fact), where eventually it was passed and the house is now finished...

How far is the bungalow from the next house?? and how far is the bungalow from the road??

richardg

as above, but you may as saxo boy says, be in an area where the local authority will consider a reasonably well thought out supporting statement with your application justifying in planning terms only (property values, i need another bedroom etc are not planning matters) why your application for replacing an existing dwelling with a larger dwelling on the same plot should be approved.
look up "planning sanity" on google and you may find some info there - there are loads of sites about this sort of thing. is it really a planning document (it could of course be an officer's informal views on a principle put forward by the land owner) or is it a restricitve covenant you're referring to?

boxst

Hello

Thank you for your help. I just arrived in America, so a long delay in me responding.

It is a private dwelling at the bottom of a lane, there appears to be no reason for the planning restriction and Millwood Homes actually build several large houses further up the lane (nearer the road), so I think they have set some precedence.

Saxo Boy (or anyone): Can I just go to the local planning office and ask nicely to talk to someone?

Thanks,

Steve

richardg

you can - ask to speak to the duty officer. but it may be easier if you call first and arrange and appointment. that way it's easier than waiting if there's a queue, plus the officer will know roughly what area you're wanting to talk to him/her about

David Lock

I thought you just took an old caravan plus mangy horse, dog/s and a couple of scruffy kids onto site and you could build what you like? DL

Freak

only if you are a labour voter And in addition to that, you must prove you have never worked a day in your life.